Cartridges for dispensing materials

Abstract

The cartridge (1) intended for dispensing a material comprises: a sleeve (2) having a longitudinal axis (X-X') and comprising a distal wall (22) provided with a dispensing orifice (23); a body (3) defining a chamber (35) configured to contain the material, the body (3) comprising a proximal open end and a destructible distal wall (39) at the distal end of the body, the body (3) being configured to move in the sleeve (2) along the longitudinal axis (X-X') between a first position and a second position, in which the distal wall (39) of the body (3) is at a distance (e1) from the distal wall (22) of the sleeve (2), and in which a sealing portion of the distal wall (39) of the body (3) is in contact with the sleeve (2). ) in contact with the inner surface of the distal wall (22) of the cylinder (3); a piston (4, 5) configured to seal the chamber (35) of the cylinder (3), the piston (4, 5) comprising a plate (47) configured to move in a sealed engagement in the chamber (35) of the cylinder (3); wherein the sleeve (2) comprises an internal piercing element (29) near the dispensing hole (23), the piercing element (29) being configured to destroy the distal wall (39) of the cylinder (3) when the cylinder (3) transitions from the first position to the second position; and the sleeve (2) comprises an annular cavity (24) around the piercing element (29), the annular cavity (24) being peripherally defined by an inclined inner surface complementary to a corresponding inclined outer surface of the cylinder (3).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge for dispensing materials. The material to be dispensed can be a single-component material or a multi-component system material, such as a two-component system material including a powder component and a liquid component. In the latter case, the cartridge of the present invention is advantageously suitable for mixing and dispensing materials. The cartridge according to the present invention can be used in particular for dispensing dental materials. Background Art

[0002] For dental restoration applications, in order to mix multi-component dental restoration materials and distribute them on the teeth of the subject, cartridges suitable for mixing and dispensing materials are of particular interest. Dental restoration materials typically include a powder component and a liquid component, which are mixed to form a dental cement. The steps of weighing each component and mixing the two components are cumbersome, dangerous and time-consuming. In order to overcome this problem, cartridges for dental restoration applications have been developed, in which a certain amount of powder components and liquid components are weighed in advance and contained in an isolated chamber to prevent any accidental mixing of the two components. In such a cartridge, the components can be released from the isolated chamber at a desired time and mechanically mixed with each other to form a dental cement dispensed from the cartridge.

[0003] For example, US 6,386,872 B1 discloses a cartridge for dental restoration material, which includes a first tubular member, a second tubular member and a plunger, one inside the other, wherein the first tubular member contains a powder component, the second tubular member contains a liquid component, and a dispensing nozzle is connected to the first tubular member. The first transverse wall separates the first tubular member and the second tubular member, and the second transverse wall separates the first tubular member and the nozzle. When a force is applied to the plunger, a hole is pierced in the rupturable portion of the first transverse wall, thereby mixing the two components to form a dental restoration material. The plunger ruptures the rupturable portion of the second transverse wall as it moves further toward the nozzle, and the dental restoration material is dispensed from the nozzle. In such a cartridge, there is a risk that fragments of the rupturable portion migrate in the material during dispensing, thereby contaminating the material. In addition, fragments of the rupturable portion may clog the nozzle and interfere with the dispensing of the material. Such a cartridge must also be handled with care to avoid uncontrolled material dispensing.

[0004] EP 2 692 308 A1 discloses a cartridge for mixing and dispensing materials, comprising a main body including a main chamber, a dispensing nozzle, a liquid container and a plunger having a sharp protrusion protruding forward. When the plunger is pressed down, the sharp protrusion breaks the film of the front part of the liquid container, thereby hydraulically pushing the liquid from the liquid container into the main chamber of the main body to form a mixture with the powder contained in the main chamber. The front part of the liquid container is configured to be removed from the rest of the liquid container by the continuous downward pressure of the plunger, so that the plunger can pass through the entire length of the main chamber to break the film at the distal end of the main chamber and distribute the mixture from the main chamber to the dispensing nozzle. This cartridge including a ruptured film separating the liquid container from the main chamber and the main chamber from the nozzle does not allow for fine control of the humidity in each chamber. In the case where the powder is highly sensitive to moisture, this will limit the shelf life of the cartridge because the powder in the main chamber is not properly protected from moisture. In addition, there is a risk that the broken film fragments migrate in the material during distribution to contaminate the material or block the nozzle and interfere with the distribution of the material. Likewise, the barrel must also be handled carefully to avoid uncontrolled dispensing of material.

[0005] Likewise, problems with contaminating the material and clogging the dispensing nozzle may arise in cartridges suitable for dispensing single component materials, which are also limited in terms of sealing and maintaining a constant humidity level within the chamber of the cartridge in the case of highly moisture sensitive materials.

[0006] More specifically, the present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a cartridge for dispensing material that is easy to handle and makes the dispensing of the material safer, in particular by limiting the risks of contaminating the material or clogging the dispensing nozzle, and that also advantageously allows the humidity in the cartridge to be controlled, thus being compatible with long-term storage of moisture-sensitive materials. It is also desirable to provide a cartridge for dispensing material that has good sealing properties, in particular when conveying the material. Summary of the invention

[0007] For this purpose, a subject of the invention is a cartridge for dispensing a material, comprising:

[0008] - a sleeve having a longitudinal axis and comprising a distal wall provided with a dispensing orifice;

[0009] a barrel defining a chamber configured to contain a material, the barrel comprising a proximal open end and a destructible distal wall at a distal end of the barrel, the barrel being configured to move within the sleeve along a longitudinal axis between a first position in which the distal wall of the barrel is spaced a distance from the distal wall of the sleeve and a second position in which a sealing portion of the distal wall of the barrel contacts an inner surface of the distal wall of the sleeve;

[0010] - a piston configured to seal the chamber of the cylinder, the piston comprising a plate configured to move in sealing engagement in the chamber of the cylinder;

[0011] Therein, the sleeve comprises an internal piercing element near the dispensing hole, the piercing element being configured to destroy the distal wall of the barrel when the barrel transitions from the first position to the second position. According to one embodiment, the piercing element is not a needle or does not include a needle.

[0012] In a conventional manner, within the framework of the present invention, the terms "proximal" and "distal" refer to the position of one of the parts of the barrel relative to an operator (e.g. a dentist), i.e. the term "proximal" refers to a position closer to the barrel operator, while the term "distal" refers to a position farther away from the operator.

[0013] In the cartridge of the present invention, when the cartridge moves from the first position to the second position, the distal wall of the cartridge is destroyed by means of an internal piercing element, which corresponds to the transition of the cartridge to the dispensing configuration. Due to the specific arrangement of the piercing element near the dispensing hole, the force applied by the piercing element on the distal wall of the cartridge is oriented in a direction away from the dispensing nozzle connected to the dispensing hole so as to push the destroyed part of the distal wall of the cartridge away from the nozzle. In this way, the risk of contaminating the material to be dispensed or clogging the nozzle is effectively reduced. The cartridge of the present invention also allows the control of the humidity in the chamber of the cartridge, which is hermetically sealed by a piston, thereby being compatible with the storage of moisture-sensitive materials. Examples of moisture-sensitive materials stored in a controlled environment at low humidity in a non-limiting manner include: powder components of a multi-component dental restorative material, which are intended to be stored separately and temporarily mixed with a liquid; single-component materials, such as calcium sulfate-based cements or calcium silicate-based cements.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the piercing element is a tubular element protruding inwardly from the distal wall of the sleeve, the piercing element being in fluid communication with the dispensing orifice. Due to this arrangement, once the distal wall of the barrel is broken, the tubular piercing element forms a preferential passage that guides the material directly from the barrel to the dispensing orifice, which limits the loss of the material in the gap between the barrel and the sleeve.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the inner diameter of the piercing element is greater than or equal to the diameter of the dispensing hole. Like this, under the action of the piercing element, the opening formed in the distal wall of the barrel has a size suitable for ensuring the proper flow of the material to be dispensed, which is particularly important for the dispensing of pasty materials.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the sleeve comprises an annular cavity around the piercing element, the annular cavity being peripherally bounded by an inclined inner surface complementary to the corresponding inclined outer surface of the barrel. The complementary inclined surfaces provide an effective seal between the barrel and the sleeve near the interface of the piercing element and the dispensing orifice, which limits the passage of material in the gap between the barrel and the sleeve, thereby ensuring optimal dispensing control.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the distal wall of the barrel comprises a central destructible portion surrounded by a sealing portion, the ratio of the surface area of ​​the destructible portion to the surface area of ​​the sealing portion being such that after opening, the fins of the opened destructible portion completely clear the dispensing hole of the sleeve, while the bearing surface of the sealing portion is thin enough to limit the contact area. In this way, it is easier to achieve a seal with the distal wall of the sleeve and to maximize the contact pressure to ensure a seal during the dispensing of the material. In particular, the relative dimensions of the destructible portion and the sealing portion are advantageously configured to ensure a proper flow of the material to be dispensed while limiting the loss of material.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the distal wall of the barrel comprises at least one weakened portion, the thickness of which is lower than the thickness of the rest of the distal wall. Preferably, the distal wall of the barrel comprises a plurality of weakened portions distributed on the destructible portion in order to guide a specific deformation of the distal wall of the barrel when subjected to the action of the piercing element. In one embodiment, the weakened portion is a weakened line distributed around the central portion of the distal wall of the barrel in order to guide the deformation of the distal wall in a corolla shape directed away from the dispensing nozzle connected to the dispensing orifice. In a particular embodiment, the weakened portion comprises a weakened line distributed radially from the central portion of the distal wall of the barrel, in particular according to a star shape.

[0019] Advantageously, the distal wall of the barrel is broken under the action of the piercing element without removing fragments of the distal wall that could contaminate the material or clog the nozzle connected to the dispensing orifice. More specifically, the distal wall of the barrel is configured so that the thrust applied by the piercing element opens the distal wall at the weakened portion and deforms the portion of the distal wall surrounding the opening thus formed.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the cartridge has a relative humidity (RH) of less than 0.5 g / (m2) for a film thickness of 100 μm at 23° C. and 85% relative humidity (RH). 2 -day), preferably less than 0.4g / (m 2 The barrel made of such low WVTR material can maintain a constant humidity level in the chamber, especially a humidity level suitable for protecting moisture-sensitive materials contained in the chamber, such as moisture-sensitive powder components of multi-component dental restorative materials or moisture-sensitive single-component materials.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the barrel comprises, near its proximal end, at least one lug configured to cooperate with a corresponding housing of the sleeve to lock the barrel in a first position relative to the sleeve. In this way, the cartridge comprises a locking system which ensures that the distal wall of the barrel can be broken only when the or each lug of the barrel is disengaged from the corresponding housing of the sleeve. Thus, in the locked configuration, the barrel can be manipulated without any risk of undesired material dispensing, which is particularly useful when a mixing step is required before the dispensing step, such as in the case of cartridges intended to dispense multi-component system materials.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the cartridge comprises at least one outer radial feature configured to cooperate with at least one inner radial feature of the sleeve to retain the cartridge in the first position relative to the sleeve even when the lug or each lug of the cartridge is disengaged from the corresponding housing of the sleeve. Such cooperating radial features between the cartridge and the sleeve can also secure the cartridge in the storage configuration even when the locking system is not activated. According to one embodiment, the cartridge comprises at least two outer radial features configured to cooperate with at least two inner radial features of the sleeve to retain the cartridge in the first position relative to the sleeve.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the sleeve comprises at the proximal end at least one, two, three or four longitudinal recesses configured to guide the displacement of the lugs of the cartridge when the cartridge is moved from the first position to the second position. The or each longitudinal recess guides the cartridge towards the piercing element and improves the stability of the displacement of the cartridge to reach the dispensing configuration of the cartridge.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the barrel comprises at least one, two, three or four inner radial features configured to cooperate with at least one, two, three or four outer radial features of the piston to keep the plate of the piston at a distance from the distal wall of the barrel before the piston moves towards the distal wall of the barrel to dispense the material. Such cooperating radial features between the barrel and the piston enable a two-step transition of the barrel towards the dispensing configuration, obtained by applying a common thrust on the proximal end of the piston, namely comprising: a first step of initial dispensing of the material, wherein the barrel is displaced from a first position to a second position relative to the sleeve until the distal wall of the barrel contacts the distal wall of the sleeve and is broken by the piercing element, in which first step the radial features between the barrel and the piston engage with each other so that the barrel and the piston move integrally with each other; and a second step of dispensing the material through the dispensing nozzle, wherein the piston is displaced relative to the barrel and in which second step the radial features between the barrel and the piston disengage from each other. Since the fit between the inner radial feature of the barrel and the outer radial feature of the piston is released once the distal wall of the barrel contacts the distal wall of the sleeve, the transition from the first step to the second step occurs automatically under the action of the thrust force. According to one embodiment, the thrust force ranges from 50N to more than 400N, preferably from 50N to 400N, preferably from 200N to 400N.

[0025] According to one feature, the cartridge includes a dispensing nozzle connected to the dispensing orifice. The dispensing nozzle may be integrally formed with the sleeve of the cartridge, or the dispensing nozzle may be attached to the sleeve of the cartridge by any suitable means, such as by means of a Luer lock connector. According to one embodiment, the cartridge includes a deformable dispensing nozzle connected to the dispensing orifice, wherein the wall thickness of the dispensing nozzle decreases from the dispensing orifice to the free end of the dispensing nozzle. According to one embodiment, the wall thickness of the dispensing nozzle ranges from 0.1 mm to 2 mm, preferably from 0.6 mm to 1.6 mm. This geometry of the dispensing nozzle is combined with the selection of a suitable material for the dispensing nozzle, making it possible to have an orientable nozzle with a constant inner diameter even when the nozzle is bent. Examples of suitable materials for the dispensing nozzle include polyester, polycarbonate, polyamide, polypropylene, high-density polyethylene. According to one embodiment, suitable materials for the dispensing nozzle include polyester, polycarbonate, polyamide, polypropylene, high-density polyethylene or their copolymers or consist of them.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the piston comprises a distal rod configured to be accommodated in the inner space of the piercing element when the cartridge is in a configuration at the end of material dispensing. The distal rod configured to enter the tubular piercing element can push the material to be dispensed as far as possible toward the dispensing hole and the dispensing nozzle, thereby limiting the loss of material.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the piston comprises a combination of a container and a plunger, the container defining a chamber and comprising a proximal open end and an openable distal wall, the plunger being movable in the chamber of the container and comprising a distal rod configured to exert pressure on the openable distal wall. A cartridge comprising such a two-component piston is suitable for dispensing a two-component material, in particular a material comprising a powder component initially contained in a chamber of the barrel in a gas-tight manner and a liquid component initially contained in a chamber of the container in a gas-tight manner, the openable distal wall of the container being opened by exerting pressure on the openable distal wall with the distal rod of the plunger, the components being mixed with each other at a desired time to form the material to be dispensed.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the openable distal wall of the container comprises a removable part attached to the rest of the distal wall by an annular connection part having a secure part and a weakened part, the secure part extending at an angle of 30° to 90°, preferably 40° to 80°, more preferably about 60°, the thickness of the weakened part being less than the thickness of the secure part so as to form a hinge. This arrangement makes it possible to open the distal wall of the container by breaking only the weakened part of the annular connection part, while the removable part remains connected to the rest of the distal wall of the container by the secure part acting as a hinge. In this way, in the open configuration of the distal wall, the removable part remains attached to the rest of the distal wall of the container, i.e. the distal wall of the container can be opened under the action of the distal rod of the plunger without removing fragments that could contaminate the material to be dispensed or block the dispensing nozzle connected to the dispensing orifice of the cartridge.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the container comprises at least one inner radial feature configured to cooperate with at least one outer radial feature of the plunger to maintain the plunger at a distance from the openable distal wall of the container in the storage configuration of the cartridge, the cooperation between the inner radial feature and the outer radial feature of the plunger being releasable under the action of a thrust applied to the proximal end of the plunger. Such cooperating radial features between the container and the plunger can secure a cartridge containing a two-component material in a storage configuration in which the two components are separated, one component being contained in a chamber of the barrel and the other component being contained in a chamber of the container without the risk of accidental mixing of the two components.

[0030] Another subject of the invention is a method for dispensing a material by means of a cartridge as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0031] - In a first step of initial dispensing of the material, the barrel and the piston move integrally with each other, under the action of a thrust force exerted on the proximal end of the piston, the barrel is displaced relative to the sleeve from a first position to a second position until the distal wall of the barrel comes into contact with the distal wall of the sleeve and is broken by the piercing element.

[0032] - During a second step of dispensing the material through the dispensing nozzle, the piston is displaced relative to the cylinder under the effect of a thrust force exerted on the proximal end of the piston. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of several embodiments of a cartridge according to the invention, given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is suitable for mixing and dispensing a two-component system material including a powder component and a liquid component;

[0035] Figure 2 is in the initial storage configuration of the barrel Figure 1 A longitudinal section of the barrel;

[0036] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A view in the direction of arrow III;

[0037] Figure 4 is in the first activated configuration of the barrel similar to Figure 2 longitudinal section;

[0038] Figure 5 is in the second activated configuration of the barrel similar to Figure 2 longitudinal section;

[0039] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 The view in the direction of arrow VI;

[0040] Figure 7 is in a first dispensing configuration of the cartridge corresponding to the start of material dispensing similar to Figure 2 longitudinal section;

[0041] Figure 8 is in a second dispensing configuration of the cartridge corresponding to the end of material dispensing similar to Figure 2 longitudinal section;

[0042] Fig. 9 yes Figure 1 A longitudinal cross section of the sleeve of the barrel;

[0043] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 A longitudinal cross section of the barrel of the barrel;

[0044] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 A view in the direction of arrow XI;

[0045] Fig.12 yes Figure 1 A longitudinal cross section of the liquid container of the barrel;

[0046] Fig.13 yes Fig.12 A view in the direction of arrow XIII;

[0047] Fig.14 yes Figure 1 A longitudinal cross section of the plunger of the barrel;

[0048] Fig.15 is a barrel according to the second embodiment of the present invention similar to Figure 5 A longitudinal cross-section suitable for dispensing a single component material; and

[0049] Fig.16 is a barrel according to the third embodiment of the present invention similar to Figure 5 A longitudinal cross section which is suitable for dispensing single-component materials. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] Figure 1 1 shows an exploded view of a cartridge 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is suitable for mixing and dispensing a two-component dental restoration material comprising a powder component and a liquid component. Figure 1 As can be seen in the figure, the cartridge 1 comprises a continuous tubular member with a circular cross section, which is configured to be inserted one inside another while being aligned along its longitudinal axis XX'. In this first embodiment, the tubular member of the cartridge 1 comprises, from the outermost element to the innermost element, an outer sleeve 2, a barrel 3, a liquid container 4 and a plunger 5.

[0051] The sleeve 2 comprises a body 21 comprising a proximal open end 211 and a distal end 212 defined by a distal wall 22 of the sleeve. The distal wall 22 is provided with a dispensing orifice 23 from which extends a tubular dispensing nozzle 20 integrally formed with the body 21 of the sleeve. Fig. 9 As can be seen in the longitudinal section of FIG. 2 , the thickness t20 of the peripheral wall 20a of the dispensing nozzle 20 decreases from the dispensing hole 23 to the free end 20b of the dispensing nozzle. Due to this specific geometry combined with the constituent material of the dispensing nozzle 20, which in this example is a polymer, preferably a transparent polymer such as a transparent amorphous copolyester, the dispensing nozzle 20 is deformable while being able to maintain a constant inner diameter even when bent. In this way, the dispensing nozzle 20 is maneuverable while having a constant diameter for dispensing material.

[0052] The distal wall 22 of the sleeve 2 comprises an internal piercing element 29 aligned with the dispensing orifice 23, which is intended to destroy the destructible distal wall 39 of the barrel 3. The piercing element 29 is a tubular element protruding inwardly from the distal wall 22 of the sleeve so as to be in fluid communication with the dispensing orifice 23. Due to this arrangement, once the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 is destroyed, the tubular piercing element 29 forms a preferential passage that guides the material contained in the barrel 3 directly to the dispensing orifice 23, which limits the loss of material in the gap between the barrel 3 and the sleeve 2.

[0053] like Fig. 9 As shown, the inner diameter d of the piercing element 29 is 29 Slightly larger than the diameter d of the distribution hole 23 23 In this way, under the action of the piercing element 29, the opening formed in the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 has a size suitable for ensuring a proper flow of the material to be dispensed. Around the piercing element 29, the sleeve 2 comprises an annular (or ring-shaped) cavity 24, the bottom of which is formed by the inner surface 221 of the distal wall 22, while the central wall of the ring is formed by the peripheral wall of the tubular piercing element 29 and the outer wall of the ring is formed by an inclined inner surface 241, which is complementary to the corresponding inclined outer surface 33 of the barrel 3. The complementary inclined surfaces 241, 33 are designed to provide an effective seal at the interface between the sleeve 2 and the barrel 3 adjacent to the piercing element 29 and the dispensing orifice 23, so as to limit the passage of material in the gap between the barrel 3 and the sleeve 2.

[0054] like Fig.10 and Fig.11 As can be seen in the figure, the barrel 3 of the cartridge 1 includes a proximal open end 31 and a distal end 32 defined by a destructible distal wall 39. The barrel 3 defines a chamber 35 configured to contain a powder component of a two-component dental restoration material. The constituent material of the barrel 3 is selected to have a viscosity of less than 0.5 g / (m 2 ) at 23° C. and 85% RH for a film thickness of 100 μm. 2 -day) water vapor transfer rate (WVTR) in order to maintain a constant humidity level in the chamber 35 suitable for protecting moisture-sensitive powder components. In particular, in this example, the cylinder 3 is made of a cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) having a water vapor transfer rate (WVTR) of about 0.4 g / (m2) at 23°C and 85% RH for a film thickness of 100 μm. 2 According to another embodiment, the constituent material of the cylinder 3 is selected to have a WVTR higher than 0.5 g / (m2) at 23° C. and 85% RH for a film thickness of 100 μm. 2 -day) water vapor transfer rate (WVTR).

[0055] like Fig.11As can be clearly seen in the figure, the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 comprises a central destructible portion 390 surrounded by a sealing portion 391, which is configured to cooperate with the inner surface 221 of the distal wall 22 of the sleeve. Advantageously, the ratio of the surface area of ​​the destructible portion 390 to the surface area of ​​the sealing portion 391 is such that after opening, the fins of the opened destructible portion 390 completely unblock the dispensing hole 23 of the sleeve, while the bearing surface of the sealing portion 391 is a sufficiently thin ring to limit the contact area. In this way, it is easier to achieve a seal with the distal wall 22 of the sleeve, and the contact pressure is maximized to ensure a seal during the dispensing of the material. This arrangement ensures the proper flow of the material to be dispensed while limiting the loss of material.

[0056] The diameters of the destructible portion 390 and the piercing element 29 are also adjusted to maximize the destructive efficiency of the piercing element 29. For example, in the example shown, the diameter d of the piercing element 29 is 29 is the diameter d of the destructible portion 390 390 About half of Fig.11 As shown, the destructible portion 390 includes six weakening lines 392 radially distributed in a star shape starting from the central portion of the distal end wall 39. The thickness t of each weakening line 392 is 392 The thickness t of the remaining portion of the distal wall 39 is lower than 39 The central portion of the star may have a stress concentration so that failure initiates from the center of the star.

[0057] This arrangement of the weakening line 392 is configured to guide the distal wall 39 of the barrel to deform in a corolla shape directed away from the dispensing nozzle 20 when subjected to the action of the piercing element 29. In practice, the rupture of the distal wall 39 is achieved by the barrel 3 being placed in the sleeve 2 along the longitudinal axis XX' in a first position (at Figure 2 , 4 , 5) and the second position (in Figure 7 , 8 In the first position, the distal wall 39 of the cylinder is at a distance e1 from the distal wall 22 of the sleeve, and in the second position, the sealing portion 391 of the distal wall 39 of the cylinder contacts the inner surface 221 of the distal wall 22 of the sleeve and the complementary inclined surfaces 241, 33 cooperate, thereby providing a seal between the sleeve 2 and the cylinder 3.

[0058] The barrel 3 also comprises two diametrically opposed tongues 38 near its proximal end 31. Each tongue 38 is configured to be housed in a corresponding housing 278 defined by a locking wing 27 of the sleeve 2 arranged near the proximal end 21, so as to lock the barrel 3 in a first position relative to the sleeve 2. This locking configuration of the cartridge 1 ensures that the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 is kept at a distance e1 from the distal wall 22 of the sleeve, making it possible to manipulate the cartridge 1 without any risk of the piercing element 29 piercing the distal wall 39, which makes it possible to carry out a mixing step before the dispensing step.

[0059] Furthermore, the cartridge 3 comprises an outer radial collar 36 configured to cooperate with an inner radial recess 256 formed by six clamping members 25 distributed circumferentially within the body 21 of the sleeve 2. The cooperation between the outer radial collar 36 and the inner radial recess 256 can keep the cartridge 3 in the first position relative to the sleeve 2 even when the lug 38 is disengaged from the housing 278, thereby allowing the cartridge 1 to be fixed in the storage configuration even when the locking system 38 / 278 is not activated.

[0060] As in Figure 5 As can be seen in particular in the figure, the body 21 of the sleeve 2 also comprises two diametrically opposed longitudinal recesses 28 near its proximal end 211, which are configured to guide the displacement of the tongue 38 of the cartridge 3 when the cartridge moves from the first position to the second position. The longitudinal recesses 28 ensure the guidance of the cartridge 3 near the proximal end 211 during its movement towards the piercing element 29, while another guidance near the proximal end 212 is ensured by six guide ribs 26 distributed circumferentially in the body 21 of the sleeve. The guide means 26 and 28 improve the stability of the displacement of the cartridge 3 to reach the dispensing configuration of the cartridge 1.

[0061] The chamber 35 of the barrel 3 is sealed by means of a piston formed by the combination of a liquid container 4 and a plunger 5. In this exemplary example, the container 4 is made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and the plunger 5 is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Fig.12 As shown, the container 4 includes a proximal open end 41 and a distal end 42 defined by an openable distal wall 47. The container 4 defines a chamber 45 configured to contain a liquid component of a two-component dental restorative material. The distal wall 47 of the container 4 includes a detachable portion 48 attached to the remainder of the distal wall by an annular connecting member 49. As shown in Fig.13As best seen in the figure, the annular connecting member 49 includes a secure portion 491 extending at an angle α of about 60° and a weakened portion 492 having a thickness t492 less than the thickness t491 of the secure portion 491, so as to form a hinge. This arrangement allows the distal wall 47 of the container 4 to be opened by rupturing only the weakened portion 492, so that the detachable portion 48 is flipped out of the container 4 while remaining connected to the distal wall 47 of the container 4 by the hinge formed by the secure portion 491.

[0062] The container 4 is configured to move in a sealed engagement in the chamber 35 of the barrel 3. To this end, the container 4 is provided with a peripheral sealing rib 43 on the outside, which is configured to prevent the liquid component initially contained in the chamber 45 of the container 4 from passing toward the gap between the barrel 3 and the container 4 when the distal wall 47 of the container is opened and the container 4 moves toward the distal wall 39 of the barrel.

[0063] In practice, the opening of the distal wall 47 of the container 4 is obtained thanks to a stem 59 extending distally from the distal wall 52 of the plunger 5. More precisely, the chamber 45 of the container 4 is sealed by means of a plunger 5, which is movable in the chamber 45 and whose distal stem 59 is configured to exert pressure on the removable portion 48 of the distal wall 47 of the container. Before opening the distal wall 47, the powder component is contained airtightly in the chamber 35 of the barrel 5, while the liquid component is contained airtightly in the chamber 45 of the container 4. By opening the openable distal wall 47 of the container by exerting pressure on the removable portion 48 with the distal stem 59 of the plunger, and applying vibrations to the cartridge 1 in this activated configuration, either manually or by means of a vibrating mixer, the two components can then be easily mixed together at the desired time in order to form the material to be dispensed.

[0064] The container 4 comprises two inner peripheral recesses 46, 46' configured to cooperate with two corresponding outer peripheral ribs 56, 56' of the plunger 5 to maintain the plunger 5 at a distance e2 from the openable distal wall 47 of the container 4 in the storage configuration of the cartridge 1. The cooperation between the inner peripheral recesses 46, 46' and the outer peripheral ribs 56, 56' is releasable under the action of a thrust force F0 exerted on the proximal end 51 of the plunger 5, for example by means of an activator. The cooperating radial features 46, 56 and 46', 56' between the container 4 and the plunger 5 make it possible to fix the cartridge 1 in a storage configuration in which the powder component and the liquid component are separated, the first component being contained in the chamber 35 of the barrel and the second component being contained in the chamber 45 of the container without the risk of accidental mixing of the two components.

[0065] The barrel 3 also comprises, near its proximal end 31, an inner peripheral recess 34 configured to cooperate with an outer peripheral rib 44 of the container 4 to keep the distal wall 47 of the container 4 at a distance from the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 before the piston formed by the combination of the container 4 and the plunger 5 moves towards the distal wall 39 of the barrel to dispense the material. The cooperating radial features 34, 44 between the barrel 3 and the container 4 make possible a two-step transition of the barrel 1 towards the dispensing configuration, which is obtained by applying a thrust F1 on the proximal end 51 of the plunger 5, for example, by means of a dispensing device.

[0066] More specifically, in a first step of initially dispensing the material, the barrel 3 is displaced from a first position to a second position relative to the sleeve 2 until the distal wall 39 of the barrel contacts the distal wall 22 of the sleeve and is broken by the piercing element 29. In this first step, the radial features 34, 44 between the barrel 3 and the container 4 engage with each other, so that the barrel 3, the container 4 and the plunger 5 move integrally with each other. In a second step of dispensing the material through the dispensing nozzle, the piston formed by the combination of the container 4 and the plunger 5 is displaced relative to the barrel 3, and the radial features 34, 44 between the barrel 3 and the container 4 are disengaged from each other in this second step.

[0067] A method for dispensing a two-component material by means of a cartridge 1 according to the invention, wherein the two-component material comprises a powder component initially contained in a chamber 35 of a cartridge 3 and a liquid component initially contained in a chamber 45 of a container 4, comprises the steps described below.

[0068] Initially, barrel 1 is in Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the storage configuration shown in , the plunger 5 is held at a distance e2 from the openable distal end wall 47 of the container 4 by the cooperation between the inner recesses 46, 46' of the container 4 and the outer ribs 56, 56' of the plunger 5. In this storage configuration, the powder component is airtightly contained in the chamber 35 of the barrel 5, and the liquid component is airtightly contained in the chamber 45 of the container 4. Starting from this configuration, the assembly consisting of the barrel 3, the container 4 and the plunger 5 in a rotationally coupled manner is rotated relative to the sleeve 2 so that the tongue 38 of the barrel is inserted into the housing 278 of the locking wing 27 of the sleeve, thereby reaching Figure 2 and 3 The locking configuration shown, in which the distal end wall 39 of the cylinder 3 is maintained at a distance e1 from the distal end wall 22 of the sleeve 2.

[0069] Then, a thrust F0 is applied to the proximal end 51 of the plunger 5, for example by means of an activator, so that the distal stem 59 of the plunger 5 exerts pressure on the removable portion 48 of the distal wall 47 of the container 4, thereby reaching Figure 4The two components are then mixed together by applying vibrations to the cartridge 1, either manually or with the aid of a vibrating mixer, to form the material to be dispensed. Figure 4 In the activated configuration shown, the cartridge 1 can be vibrated without any risk of the piercing element 29 piercing the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 , due to the cooperation between the tongue 38 and the locking wing 27 .

[0070] Once the two components are mixed together, the assembly consisting of the barrel 3, the container 4 and the plunger 5 in a rotationally coupled manner is moved relative to the sleeve 2 along the Figure 4 The sleeve is rotated in the direction of arrow R to remove the tongue 38 of the sleeve from the housing 278 of the sleeve, thereby reaching Figure 5 In this unlocked configuration, a thrust F1 is applied to the proximal end 51 of the plunger 5, for example by means of a dispensing device. In a first step of initial dispensing of material, under the action of the thrust F1, the barrel 3 is displaced from the first position to the second position relative to the sleeve 2 until the proximal end 51 of the plunger 5 is released. Figure 7 As shown, the distal wall 39 of the barrel contacts the distal wall 22 of the sleeve and is broken by the piercing element 29. In this first step, the barrel 3, container 4 and plunger 5 move integrally with each other due to the cooperation of the radial features 34, 44.

[0071] In the second step of dispensing the material through the dispensing nozzle, under the action of the thrust F1, the radial features 34, 44 between the barrel 3 and the container 4 are disengaged from each other, and the piston formed by the combination of the container 4 and the plunger 5 is displaced relative to the barrel 3. The transition from the first step to the second step occurs automatically under the action of the thrust F1, and once the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 contacts the distal wall 22 of the sleeve 2, the cooperation between the radial features 34, 44 is released. Figure 8 ), the distal rod portion 59 of the plunger 5 is accommodated in the internal space of the piercing element 29, which allows the material to be dispensed to be pushed as far as possible toward the dispensing hole 23 and the dispensing nozzle 20, thereby limiting the loss of material.

[0072] exist Fig.15In the second embodiment shown, similar elements to those of the first embodiment have the same reference numerals. The cartridge 101 of the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it is adapted for dispensing a single-component material and the two-component pistons 4, 5 of the first embodiment are replaced by a single-piece piston 105. In this second embodiment, the piston 105 comprises a distal plate 153 and is configured to move in a sealed engagement in the chamber 35 of the barrel 3. In particular, the seal is ensured by a peripheral sealing rib 155 of the piston 105. The inner peripheral recess 34 of the barrel 3 is configured to cooperate with the outer peripheral rib 154 of the piston 105 so that the distal plate 153 is kept at a distance from the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 before the piston 105 moves towards the distal wall 39 to dispense the material. The cooperation between the recess 34 of the barrel 3 and the rib 154 of the piston 105 is released by applying a thrust F1 on the proximal end 151 of the piston 105, for example by means of a dispensing device.

[0073] exist Fig.16 In the third embodiment shown, elements similar to those of the first embodiment have the same reference numerals. The cartridge 201 of the third embodiment differs from the second embodiment only in that the piston 205 comprises a distal rod 259 extending distally from the distal plate 253. The distal rod 259 is configured to enter the tubular piercing element 29 of the sleeve 2 so as to push the material to be dispensed as far as possible toward the dispensing orifice 23 and the dispensing nozzle 20, thereby limiting the loss of material. Apart from this, the piston 205 is identical to the piston 105 of the second embodiment. In particular, the piston 205 comprises a peripheral sealing rib 255, which ensures that the piston 205 moves in a sealed engagement in the chamber 35 of the barrel 3. The piston 205 also comprises an outer peripheral rib 254, which is configured to cooperate with the inner peripheral recess 34 of the barrel 3, and their cooperation is released by applying a thrust F1 on the proximal end 251 of the plunger 205, for example, by means of a dispensing device.

[0074] The method of dispensing material by means of cartridge 101 or 201 is similar to the method described above for cartridge 1, only the step of mixing the two components is omitted. In fact, in the second and third embodiments, the material to be dispensed contained in chamber 35 of cartridge body 3 is ready for use. Initially, cartridge 101 or 201 is in Fig.15 and 16 In the configuration shown, the distal wall 39 of the cylinder 3 is held at a distance e1 from the distal wall 22 of the sleeve 2. This configuration can be locked and unlocked in a manner similar to the first embodiment by rotating the assembly consisting of the cylinder 3 and the piston 105 or 205 in a rotationally coupled manner relative to the sleeve 2 so as to insert or remove the tongue 38 of the cylinder relative to the housing of the locking wing 27 of the sleeve. In order to dispense material, the piston 105 or 205 is rotated relative to the sleeve 2. Fig.15 and 16The unlocked configuration shown begins with the application of a thrust force F1 on the proximal end 151 or 251 of the piston 105 or 205 , for example by means of a dispensing device.

[0075] In a first step of initial dispensing of material, under the action of the thrust F1, the barrel 3 is displaced from the first position to the second position relative to the sleeve 2 until the distal wall 39 of the barrel comes into contact with the distal wall 22 of the sleeve and is broken by the piercing element 29. In this first step, the barrel 3 and the piston 105 or 205 move integrally with each other due to the cooperation of the radial features 34 and 154, 254. In a second step of dispensing material through the dispensing nozzle, under the action of the thrust F1, the radial features 34 and 154, 254 are disengaged from each other and the piston 105 or 205 is displaced relative to the barrel 3. The transition from the first step to the second step occurs automatically under the action of the thrust F1, and once the distal wall 39 of the barrel 3 comes into contact with the distal wall 22 of the sleeve 2, the cooperation between the radial features 34 and 154, 254 is released.

[0076] The invention is not limited to the examples described and shown. In particular, other materials and shapes than those described above can be considered for the constituent components of the cartridge according to the invention.

Claims

1. A cartridge for dispensing material (1; 101; 201), which includes: - a sleeve (2) having a longitudinal axis (XX') and comprising a distal wall (22) provided with a dispenser orifice (23); - a barrel (3) defining a chamber (35) configured to contain a material, the barrel (3) comprising a proximal open end (31) and a destructible distal wall (39) at a distal end (32) of the barrel, the barrel (3) being configured to move in the sleeve (2) along the longitudinal axis (XX') between a first position and a second position, in which, in the first position, the distal wall (39) of the barrel (3) is at a distance (e1) from the distal wall (22) of the sleeve (2), and in which, in the second position, a sealing portion (391) of the distal wall (39) of the barrel (3) is in contact with an inner surface (221) of the distal wall (22) of the sleeve (2); - a piston (4, 5; 105; 205) configured to seal the chamber (35) of the cylinder (3), the piston (4, 5; 105; 205) comprising a plate (47; 153; 253) configured to move in sealing engagement in the chamber (35) of the cylinder (3); - wherein the sleeve (2) comprises, near the dispensing orifice (23), an internal piercing element (29), the piercing element (29) being configured to destroy the distal wall (39) of the barrel (3) when the barrel (3) transitions from the first position to the second position; and - said sleeve (2) comprises, around said piercing element (29), an annular cavity (24), said annular cavity (24) being peripherally delimited by an inclined inner surface (241) complementary to a corresponding inclined outer surface (33) of said barrel (3); wherein the inner diameter (d29) of the piercing element (29) is greater than or equal to the diameter (d23) of the dispensing hole (23); and The piston (4, 5; 105; 205) comprises a distal rod (59; 259) configured to be received in the interior space of the piercing element (29) when the cartridge is in an end-of-material dispensing configuration.

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the piercing element (29) is a tubular element protruding inwardly from the distal wall (22) of the sleeve (2), the piercing element (29) being in fluid communication with the dispensing orifice (23).

3. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the distal wall (39) of the barrel (3) comprises at least one weakened portion (392), the thickness (t 392 ) is lower than the thickness (t 39 ).

4. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the barrel (3) is made of a material having a film thickness of less than 0.5 g / (m at 23°C and 85% RH for a film thickness of 100 μm. 2 -day) of water vapor transfer rate (WVTR).

5. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the barrel (3) is made of a material having a film thickness of less than 0.4 g / (m at 23°C and 85% RH for a film thickness of 100 μm. 2 -day) of water vapor transfer rate (WVTR).

6. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the barrel (3) comprises at least one lug (38) near its proximal end (31), and the at least one lug is configured to cooperate with a corresponding shell (278) of the sleeve (2) to lock the barrel (3) relative to the sleeve (2) in the first position.

7. A cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the barrel (3) comprises at least one outer radial feature (36) configured to cooperate with at least one inner radial feature (256) of the sleeve (2) to maintain the barrel (3) in the first position relative to the sleeve (2) even when the lug or each lug (38) of the barrel is disengaged from the corresponding housing (278) of the sleeve.

8. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve (2) comprises at least one longitudinal recess (28) near the proximal end (21), and the at least one longitudinal recess is configured to guide the displacement of the lug (38) of the barrel (3) when the barrel (3) moves from the first position to the second position.

9. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the barrel (3) includes at least one inner radial feature (34) configured to cooperate with at least one outer radial feature (44; 154; 254) of the piston (4, 5; 105; 205) to maintain a plate (47; 153; 253) of the piston at a distance from the distal wall (39) of the barrel (3) before the piston moves toward the distal wall (39) of the barrel (3) to dispense material.

10. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, comprising a deformable dispensing nozzle (20) connected to the dispensing orifice (23), wherein the thickness (t 20 ) decreases from the dispensing orifice (23) toward the free end (20b) of the dispensing nozzle (20).

11. A cartridge according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the piston comprises a combination of a container (4) and a plunger (5), the container (4) defining a chamber (45) and comprising a proximal open end (41) and an openable distal wall (47), the plunger (5) being movable in the chamber (45) of the container (4) and comprising a distal rod (59) configured to exert pressure on the openable distal wall (47).

12. Cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the openable distal wall (47) of the container (4) comprises a removable portion (48) attached to the rest of the distal wall (47) by an annular connecting member (49) having a secure portion (491) extending over an angle (α) of 30° to 90° and a weakened portion (492) having a thickness (t 492 ) is smaller than the thickness (t 491 ) to form a hinge.

13. Cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the openable distal wall (47) of the container (4) comprises a removable portion (48) attached to the rest of the distal wall (47) by an annular connecting member (49) having a secure portion (491) extending over an angle (α) of 60° and a weakened portion (492) having a thickness (t 492 ) is smaller than the thickness (t 491 ) to form a hinge.

14. A cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the container (4) includes at least one inner radial feature (46, 46') configured to cooperate with at least one outer radial feature (56, 56') of the plunger (5) to maintain the plunger (5) at a distance (e2) from the openable distal wall (47) of the container (4) in the storage configuration of the cartridge, and the cooperation between the inner radial feature (46, 46') and the outer radial feature (56, 56') of the plunger (5) is releasable under the action of a thrust (F0) applied to the proximal end (51) of the plunger (5).

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